Published on: March 20, 2026, 12:40h.
Updated on: March 20, 2026, 12:40h.
- Are Alaska Natives entitled to the same federally recognized tribal gaming rights?
- Interior Department officials have expressed varying views between the Trump and Biden administrations
- One Alaska Native tribe is pursuing an expansion of its casino near Anchorage
An Alaska tribal casino is on track to finalize a 5,000-square-foot expansion by May. The Native Village of Eklutna is advancing with its Chin’an Gaming Hall located close to Anchorage, despite a recent decision made during the Trump administration.
The Chin’an Gaming Hall was inaugurated in Chugiak in February 2025. The term Chin’an translates to “thank you” in the tribe’s native Athabaskan dialect, and the facility hosts approximately 130 electronic bingo machines. However, it does not offer traditional table games or sports betting options.
Tribal representatives indicate that the casino has experienced strong patronage over the past year, leading to increased use of the gaming machines and subsequently justifying the expansion, as reported by Anchorage Daily News.
However, a significant challenge remains: the U.S. Department of the Interior determined last fall that Alaska Natives do not enjoy the same federal gaming rights as Native American tribes located in the contiguous United States.
Federal Issues
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) permits federally recognized tribes to host Class I and II gaming activities on their sovereign lands held in trust by the U.S. government. Class I and II gaming includes small chance-based games such as bingo and unbanked card games like poker.
For Class I and II gaming, a federal tribe does not need to create a state-level agreement. Conversely, Class III gaming, which encompasses all other gambling forms, including casino-style slot machines and table games, mandates a state compact.
Under the Biden administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs asserted that Alaska Natives are entitled to similar IGRA rights as tribes in the Lower 48. This decision followed inquiries concerning whether the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, passed prior to IGRA, which restructured tribes into state-chartered corporations, revoked their sovereign status.
Deputy Interior Secretary Kate MacGregor, who has served in both administrations, ruled last fall that Native Alaskan tribes do not possess the same IGRA entitlements as those in the Lower 48. MacGregor remarked that the Biden administration’s verdict was “inconsistent with established law and judicial precedents,” stating that the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act clarified the U.S’s stance “on the nature and extent of federally recognized tribes’ governing authorities over land in Alaska.”
MacGregor instructed the National Indian Gaming Commission to reassess the law to ascertain whether Alaska Natives have protected tribal gaming rights. Meanwhile, she revoked the Biden decision and reinstated the DOI’s 1993 conclusion that determined the State of Alaska, rather than tribes, holds dominant authority over the majority of lands.
Facility Expansion
Currently, the Native Village of Eklutna is preparing for the enlargement of its Chin’an Gaming Hall, a temporary addition attached to the existing small brick structure housing the current gaming slot machines. This addition will introduce an additional 90 electronic bingo games to the venue.
If the tribe secures its gaming rights, they have plans for a permanent Chin’an Gaming Hall within a new facility (as seen in the image above).